MELON SEED AND HONEY MILK

When you eat a melon, freeze the seeds to make this drink. Cantaloupe, honeydew or any melon seed will work. The texture is creamy with a background melon-and-cucumber flavour from the seeds. Freeze cubes of melon to use in place of ice cubes when serving this. The spent seeds can be used as a skin exfoliant.

Makes: about 4 cups (1 L)

■ 1 cup (250 ml) melon seeds and their surrounding flesh, from about 3 melons

■ 3 cups (750 ml) cold water

■ Pinch of salt

■ 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract

1. Combine the melon seeds and half the water in a blender. Blend on high until the seeds are finely ground.

2. Strain through a fine meshed sieve, reserving the liquid and return the solids to the blender. Add the remaining water and blend again. Strain and compost the solids.

3. If there are any fine particulates in the milk, strain once more to remove them.

4. Stir in the salt, honey and vanilla. The milk will separate upon standing, so shake before serving and serve chilled.